I'm planning to replace Windows 10 with Linux on an old laptop. Windows is installed on the C: partition, and I also have a D: partition with data on it. If I install Linux on the C: partition, will the D: partition be erased too? The two partitions may be on the same physical SSD, and I don't currently have an external backup drive.
4 Answers
If C: and D: are just two partitions on the same SSD, be especially careful. Installing to the entire physical disk can delete every partition on it, while installing only into the intended partition should leave D: alone. Disconnecting or disabling the data partition temporarily can reduce the chance of selecting the wrong one, but it is not a substitute for a backup.
You normally do not need to format D: at all. Linux only needs the space where its own partitions will be created. You can shrink the Windows partition first and install Linux into the resulting unallocated space, but read every partitioning screen carefully and do not choose an option that says it will erase the entire disk.
Before starting, make a complete, verified backup of anything important on both partitions. Cloud backup is better than nothing, but make sure the files have actually finished uploading and can be restored. If you cannot make a backup, there is always a real risk of losing data through a mistake, an installer error, or a hardware problem.
I started backing up to cloud storage, but it is taking a long time, so I was thinking of backing up only the C: partition.
It should not erase D: as long as you carefully select only the correct partition during installation. Linux does not use Windows drive letters, so the installer may display disks and partitions with names like /dev/sda, /dev/sda1, or /dev/nvme0n1p1. Check the partition sizes and existing data before confirming anything.
Can I disable the D: partition during installation and enable it again afterward?
They are partitions on the same SSD; I split the SSD into C: and D:.